To Defend and To Succeed
by PacificAstro
Summary: When the world encountered an amnesiac redhead, no one understood the consequences. No one thought more of it. But if there's anything that Konoha has to acknowledge- there was an ally in him, and in turn, he was an ally- even if he himself didn't know why. However, he knows that he's ready to lay down his life on the line as he gets to know them. (AU!Naruto helping out the OG)


**This story was inspired from different time travel fanfiction, but I wanted something new... so here is my own spin. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Prologue**

Following Tsunade, though taxing because she was _always _on the move, was always interesting. There was no boring moment, especially since her mentor was a drunkard with the strength of a monster held within a flick of her finger. Shizune wouldn't change it for the world though, because she was family. However, despite that, there _are_ moments when she asks herself why she's putting up with the woman.

Right now, for instance - as she watched Tsunade down the _tenth _bottle of sake from Rice Country, along with losing more money than she should in her failed effort at gambling. People were already making fun of her behind her back, gossiping about her, and all of that went unheard in her mentor's drunken haze. Why, _why, _does she put up with this?

Shizune stood up, sighing. She was glad that she had been smart in the past to make a reminder to actually store money in her own person, because Tsunade would probably run their money dry if she had full access to all of their money. Sometimes, she needs her own things too, _dammit, _which is why she hauled Tonton in her arms and started walking towards the bar's exit.

The pig in her arms made a questioning sound, and she shrugged in response. "Come on, Tonton. She's worse than usual." She smiled sadly. It was one of _those _days. Tsunade's brazen actions were conductors of her grief. She knew that the woman most likely had a dream about Dan, and that meant trouble for her and for the whole six-kilometer wide radius. "But I'm not going to be mad. Let her drink it away. She's being quite mild compared to her past years."

As she walked towards the village, she furrowed her brows as she felt a chakra signal fluctuating. It was loud, for the lack of better terms; she had never felt something so _noisy. _Like a fiery maelstrom, calling out for help. It felt soothing in a weird way, yet still sent contradictory bouts of panic through her system; she had to compose herself to actually walk straight. With a keen eye, she surveyed the crowd of people going through the non-descript town in the Land of Tea- and saw that majority of the people were disturbed by _something._

"Can you feel that?" Someone asked beside her. Shizune determined that they were civilians, or merchants. "What the hell _is _that?"

"I don't know." The other's companion muttered. "But it's unsettling. It's probably one of those ninja things; there's always something going on with them. But man, _this _feels like those Kage guys unleashing their chakra. But like, weirder."

Shizune nodded to herself, agreeing. _It's a chakra wave, _she mused as she started walking towards the source of the erratic chakra pulses. _Unleashed to catch the attention of people. Though why is it blaring outwards like an alarm? Aren't they concerned for their health?_

She found herself going towards the outskirts of the village, near the barrier between the Land of Tea and the Land of Fire. The chakra was wilder now as she neared it.

Once she reached the epicenter, she almost dropped Tonton in shock. Only her experience as a medic-nin stopped her from doing so.

The man in the crater looked like he'd been drop-kicked down seven stories into the earth.

Shizune clutched Tonton near her chest and steeled her resolve; she could turn around and go with Tsunade (then help her with her drunk escapades) or jump down the deep crevice and assist a possibly dying man.

She put her foot out and began walking down the hole.

_Tsunade-shishou can take care of herself for a bit, I'm sure._

_The chakra waves aren't for signaling, _was her first realization when she was less than a meter down the hole. _It's for his body to expel whatever he had done before._

Which was a ridiculous thought since it was an _inhumane _amount of chakra being emitted. _Maybe he was a jinchuuriki? Those are the only people that can produce something like this._

She placed Tonton down on the ground as she made her way to the (very) unconscious man, who was facing down, head turned to the side.

The man had red shoulder-length hair, and sported a tattered black shirt and black loose pants. The sleeves of his shirt and the ends of his pants looked like they'd been burned a thousand times over. He had the word "shinobi" in the middle of the back of his shirt as well. Aside from the shock of seeing blood red-hair, his skin was hot- like he was having the most intense fever known to man. But he was remarkably alive. Alive, but not conscious.

Tonton oinked when the chakra pulse happened again, getting her attention. Rocks strewn throughout the crater were floating from the sheer chakra power released from the pulse. Shizune's eyes widened, and she looked back again towards the redhead.

"Hey!" She called out, kneeling down and turning the man up front. She placed her hands on top of the man's chest and began to channel her chakra to heal him. "_Sir, _wake up! You're damaging your body from whatever you're doing!" She gritted her teeth when another blast happened; now she could feel _herself _floating.

_Kami-sama, _she choked. _I can't do this alone. _His skin felt like fire, and at this rate, he'll be burning _both_ of their chakra coils!

"Sir!"

Bright, electric blue eyes opened at the cry. His eyes darted towards her and he coughed, wincing. He raised a feeble hand and clutched her arm, shaking his head no. A split-second after his face jerked to the side as he silently tucked in a scream of pain. He removed his hand from her arm and used it as weight to bring him to a sitting position- with every ounce of _escape _running in his veins.

"_What are you trying to do?_" Shizune demanded in anger. She had dealt with stubborn patients in the past, but some were just _too idiotic. _She pushed the man's chest to bring him back down, and snorted when the man fell. He was obviously still weak, not meant to move at all; his body language also implied that he was panicking. Shizune felt compelled to explain to him his situation.

"Sir, you've been sending bouts of chakra so loud that even _civilians _are feeling it. Please, calm down." She started healing him again, biting her lip in concentration.

The redhead looked at her (_and those eyes really look) _and nodded, surrendering. She smiled triumphantly and took on a more comfortable position to proceed. "Okay," she started while she had the man's attention, "-I don't know who you are, but right now you're in danger. I'm here to help. I'm a medic and I can see your chakra coils are disrupted in some way. I don't know what you did but the damage is dangerous. You would've died if you had continued to send out so much chakra. I just need you to cooperate with me."

Wide, appalled eyes were directed at her at the admission. He nodded in assent, a look of intense concentration falling over his features.

She nodded noncommittally, letting a tiny smile slip past her face. "You're not injured, which is remarkable because of how deep you are in this hole. I passed this area just last week; I would remember a hole this big. That means you arrived here," she gestured towards the small crater around them, "and created this. How'd you do it?"

The man shrugged. He gave her a wary look, and remained tight-lipped.

Shizune sighed and then took another approach, recognizing that the circumstances were a bit different than usual. The man might believe that she was an enemy ninja. Redirecting his attention back to her again with a tap, she raised her eyebrow. "Alright, you don't have to answer that. However, can you tell me your name, at least?"

The man looked confused for a moment, tried to speak, then looked horrified. He gestured towards his throat, and then mind, and a wagging gesture.

"You can't remember?" A nod. An amnesiac, then. She followed with, "You're mute?"

He shook his head, and made a scratching gesture on his throat. She tipped her head in understanding, wiping sweat off her brow. "Damaged vocal chords, or just a mishap. Right now sir, your chakra coils are adjusting faster than any normal human would; keep up concentrating. If anything, this just means that your voice would come back, if it's the same as your coils."

The man mouthed '_Really?' _with a tired gaze, making her nod. His face changed into an expression of overwhelming relief. '_Thank Kami.' _He bowed his head slightly, a comical look over his face.

She giggled, standing over him. She beckoned for him to move and he did so; then, she slung her arm under his body and looked at him.

"Your chakra reserves are depleted." She iterated, seeing him agree. "So, I'll bring you back to the town and see what we can do." She held out her other arm for Tonton to hold on to. "Brace yourself, this might be a painful trip."

The wince that followed when she jumped made her chuckle slightly. The chuckle evolved into a full laugh when she saw the man grumble under his breath, because _he seems alright._

* * *

"Oi, _Shizune!"_ Tsunade grumped, stumbling in their apartment. She knew that she crossed the line yesterday; she had much more to drink than usual. It was probably why her companion had left her in the bar.

(She might've split the building in half due to her carelessness hours after. And she _might _have an angry barkeep after her. They have to leave now. Or sometime before the crack of dawn, or they're in for more trouble than she wants to deal with. Like always.)

She frowned at the lack of response. Usually, even if she was grumpy, Shizune would give an indication that she was there. If not, Tonton would be there to trot up and greet her. Since none of those happened, she was immediately on-guard. Had she gone too far? Did Shizune really-

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune whispered as she opened the door for her. She brought a finger to her lips and shushed all of her words. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama. I didn't hear you. But you have to keep quiet."

"That's _alright."_ She muttered, voice droll. She wasn't _that _hungover anymore, and in a little while she'll be completely sober. "What's with the silence? Have you packed yet?"

Shizune rolled her eyes. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. I have. I expected it to happen." She frowned. "But think I need to be here for a little longer." Her eyes trailed to her room.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Shizune never got attached to one place permanently. Sure, they've had gone to places where Shizune would _like _to stay, but more often than not, when she had made the villagers angry, she was ready to high-tail with her mentor. For her to want to stay intrigued Tsunade. "Find a guy, Shizune?" She teased, enjoying the embarrassed flush on Shizune's face. "Ooh! Shizune's got a _maaan-"_

"It's not- whatever you're thinking about!" Shizune spluttered, her face burning. "I swear, no matter how many times you reprimand Jiraiya-san for being a pervert, you've got your moments as well." She clicked her tongue. "But yes, there _is _a guy here. He's- I don't know if he's sick physically, but earlier I found him. He was releasing waves of chakra like a beacon for every ninja within a five mile radius. Even civilians were feeling it. I guess you didn't because you were too drunk." She glared at her, and the blonde could only shrug.

_Well, I was._

Tsunade headed towards the door and her eyebrows raised at the sight. There was a man on her bed- looked alright, like what Shizune had implied earlier. But his face was racked with sweat, and he was mumbling- probably nightmares. He was well-built, reminding her of her teammate's general body shape in his prime. His body was taut like a string, stressed, as if he was going to fight once she was close enough to disturb his sleep. There was a telltale consciousness under the nightmare-infested sleep he was currently having; all of the symptoms of someone who grew up on the constant edge.

But Shizune hadn't lied earlier. The man was _powerful. _She could feel the repressed chakra that he sported, circulating like a churning maelstrom. It wasn't oppressive- rather, it felt like her sensei's, reassuring and light. She was no sensor by any means, and for her to feel that _much _really said something.

The blonde looked back at her companion. "Is he a ninja? What's his name, anyway?"

The black-haired woman shrugged. "I don't know. It seems like his voice is quite ragged, like he hadn't used it for a while. He can't remember a single thing. It's probably amnesia- and since he could at least tell me what he was feeling _after _a certain time, it must've been the impact that shook his memories. Retrograde amnesia, Tsunade-sama." She pursed her lips, and checked for the time outside. "I suppose I could wake him up now, it's 0600 anyway. He needs to drink his medicine."

Tsunade watched as Shizune approached the man and gently tapped his forehead. His nose scrunched, and his forehead crinkled in annoyance. His eyes opened abruptly, and then he snapped into a sitting position. He turned his head towards Tsunade, and furrowed his eyebrows.

In a staccato-like voice, he stuttered, "S-Safe? Y-You?"

Shizune smiled bright and laughed, making the man relax. Tsunade's eyebrow raised higher at the man's first words to them, because he's _worried for Shizune's safety? That's a new thing. _Outwardly, she watched as her partner interacted with the man. "Of course! I'm safe, we're safe." She went over his table and retrieved a medicine tablet. "I woke you up because you need to drink your medicine. I don't think you'd appreciate me babying you, but here you go." He received the tablet with a nod. "Er, meet Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade met his _bright electric blue _eyes in a straight gaze, resisting the urge to falter when the man started _peering _in her soul. It was unnerving for a second before it went away, and alongside with it a small smile crept onto his lips. "Hello," he greeted. "I would give a name, but honestly I can't remember a thing."

She resisted the urge to laugh at the helpless tone he sported. That would be cruel, and she knew how to handle patients. Laughing at their misery usually doesn't go over very well. "That's alright, I suppose. Shizune here tells me that you probably have retrograde amnesia. Would you know if you can still do things? Because if you could-"

He nodded. "I probably can do normal stuff. It's the details that I can't remember." He shook his arms. "I _do _know that I shouldn't feel this bummed out. It's a horrible feeling. There's like- an empty void in my head. I can't remember, but I can do things." He stopped and scratched his cheek. "Hopefully."

"Are you a ninja?" The sannin asked, getting a chair and sitting in front of the bedridden patient. "From what I see, you're about somewhere in your twenties. Your chakra right now is wild, but the control you're expressing is impressive."

He shrugged again.

Tsunade nodded. "A name, perhaps? Or any indication of your past that could help you?"

He pursed his lips, combing his hair with his hand in annoyance. In a mild voice, not scratchy nor loud enough for a normal speaking volume, he answered, "Er. I- don't remember growing out my hair this long, but it's nice?" He muttered, and Shizune blinked, mirth in her eyes. "Let's see- I really, _really _have the urge to eat, like, noodles or something. And then the only thing that's coming in my brain is Shirei, and maybe that's my name?"

_Commander? _Tsunade thought. wasn't that interesting? _He could've led something in the past. No indication of any allied village. He looks old enough to at least be recognized by someone, but it just seems that the man doesn't know himself if he is supposed to be a leader._

"Alright, we'll call you Shirei." Tsunade nodded to herself, before directing her gaze once more towards him. She saw him drawing on his skin with his fingers what looked like tiny swirls and lines, which was _another _peculiar habit that she had associated with her old teammate. Yet another one of the many reminders of him of her old friend. "Any village in your mind?"

He shook his head. "I… I don't really know how much I know from what you're saying. The ninja thing- it _sounds _familiar? But not at the same time? So… village. I don't-" He frowned, and then popped the pill in his hand and drank it in, opting to stay silent for a while. He looked troubled in that short moment; the Sannin didn't really blame him.

(To forget, that's what she always tries to do with her drunken hazes. She ignores the twinge of jealousy running through her. She knows better than to dwell on it.)

The newly-named Shirei, after a moment of awkward silence, directed her a smile. "Um, Tsunade-san, Shizune-san. Thank you for accommodating me. I'm sorry; I know I'm a bit of a hindrance-" Shizune protested at the notion, but he shook his head, ending the argument before it started. "Shizune-san, it's true. I've heard you packing earlier, I presume you must've been on the verge of leaving. I came and jacked your plans. Sorry about that."

Tsunade snorted, smirking. She stood up, cocking her head towards Shizune, who took the sign as them having to talk later. "Well, pretty boy. Rest up. It seems like Shizune and I are going to haul you to our next destination, but I'm not cruel to let you head off looking like a ghost. Tomorrow, we'll leave. You need it."

His smile could light up the room, but the melancholy and doubt that lay behind the visage could be detected. "Thank you."

She snorted, walking out of the room. "Don't mention it, kid."

* * *

Shirei was a weird, but not unwelcome addition to their travels. Or as a temporary companion, whatever her mentor would word it.

_Tsunade-sama doesn't have to deny it though. _Shizune thought as she watched the blonde reprimand the redhead on how messily he ate. _She's grown attached._

The blonde had made the decision that they were going to stay for Shirei's recuperation. Whatever doubts they had about Shirei had washed away; there were distinct mannerisms and preferences he had that were too familiar, even if most were subconscious. They knew that if he didn't find it out by himself, they would tell him directly so he wouldn't miss it for his benefit.

For instance, his favorite food was apparently ramen, and he _ate. _A lot. Right now he was on his fourth bowl of ramen. The chef looked like he was in heaven (who wouldn't blame him though, the man probably doubled his profit for the day_), _watching the stranger in awe.

"You're a mess!" Tsunade said, throwing a towel to his face, which he immediately caught without a problem.

That was another thing; the man had crazy fast reflexes and a great deal of flexibility. Tsunade had taken note of it when he almost slipped on wet ground when it had rained in the village; he had bent at a seemingly impossible angle and managed to stand upright within a second. The Sannin then took it as a challenge to throw or hit him with things and see if the man would falter.

He didn't.

"Sorry." He grinned, his eyes lighting up. "It's just really _delicious." _He bowed his head respectfully to the chef, who grinned in appreciation.

_Still good that he's eating more, _Shizune noted, _because he needs it. For some reason he wouldn't trust eating too much until it's ramen. _

Tsunade snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, kid. One day you'll make me bankrupt."

Hearing that made Shizune scoff. "With how much we won last time? I think you'll be rich, Tsunade-sama." She smiled at Shirei, who shrugged at the admission. "I think Shirei's got the devil's luck, I mean, winning four times in a row? How much ryo did we get? Because _it's a lot. _If you decided to binge drink for a year, I'm pretty sure Shirei here would pay for it all within a week."

"Hah! Maybe, if the guy in the casino didn't ban me from stepping within fifty feet of the door. Yeah, I've probably got the devil's luck in some way." Tsunade chuckled.

The man laughed, turning his gaze on his bowl. "Yeah. Some luck." He murmured, turning to eat his fifth bowl of ramen.

That was another thing that she had observed from the man; his aura affected the entire area around him. He had bouts of melancholy or sadness; quips of being quiet and tight-lipped (especially when his past or his person is brought up). Now she felt like she kicked a puppy.

"Hey, none of that." Shizune chided, tapping his shoulder with her chopsticks. "Go and finish that; we need to pack our clothes."

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "I need to buy brushes first, you promised!" His eyes twinkled. "I'm itching to do something. I think I need to doodle. I've got to channel my energy _somehow." _He paused before furrowing his eyebrows at a thought that came into his mind, a look of disgust dawning on him. "Wait, does this mean that I have to tag along for another binge drinking session?"

He evaded the punch that headed his way, and stood as Tsunade chased him. '"Hey! I didn't even- hey!" He only laughed when the blonde decided that he'd be target practice for a while, dodging her fist with a teasing smile on his face. Shizune heard her mentor yelling at him, and the mirth in her voice couldn't be hidden.

"There they go again!" Someone spoke behind her. "Will Shirei-kun be alright with that hag? Look at them go, Kami-sama!"

"Shirei-san would disappear from in front of her again, like the other day. I mean, have you seen the guy? He's _fast!"_

Shizune paid for their ramen, silently musing at the people talking. It seemed that Shirei's charisma affected the village as well. Honestly, she shouldn't be surprised anymore (because she and Tsunade had taken a liking to him quite fast) but for the village to hold him higher than a famous Sannin? (Although, she was a drunkard that destroyed their best bar. That probably explained it.) She smiled and shook her head when a streak of red zoomed past her, with Tsunade at the other end crossing her arms in faux annoyance. _It wasn't out of the realm of possibility._

As she watched Tsunade drag him by the ear, the man himself protesting playfully, she thought that meeting Shirei was definitely a better part of her travels.

* * *

The morning was silent as Tsunade drank a glass of water, staring at the opposite direction of the village towards the river a few meters away from their temporary apartment. The binge-drinking effects have dwindled down to a mild headache, which she could easily ignore. What she _can't _ignore however, was the new person that she might have to drag for a while because she somehow made herself _attached_ to him.

She could see more intricacies the man possessed as she went over the week they have been together. The man wasn't distraught over not having his memories, so it might indicate that he was used to being alone (because from her experience, amnesiac patients tended to have some inkling of _relationships _in their mind. This man hadn't even twitched at the thought.) or have been left alone in a way. She didn't know what was worse, in this scenario.

However, there _were _times when he became sad and lost. An amnesiac tended to think about 'who they were' in the past and what they might be forgetting. So far, he hadn't 'remembered' anything, except his 'name'.

He seemed be a level-headed man, reserved but open at the same time, and charismatic. She knew he liked the guy, and Shizune did as well. It was hard for her to like people; liking people tended to have bad things happen to them. _Let's not think about that, _she scolded herself, pursing her lips. _You're remembering again._

"Tsunade-sama?"

"Shizune." She nudged the pig that had propped on her foot. "That man isn't normal, I'd like you to know."

Shizune nodded, leaning on the railway like her. "I know, Tsunade-sama." Tsunade knew that the brunette probably did and knew more than she let on, which was proved by her next statement. "The level of power the man possessed- you didn't feel it last week, when I was healing him. His unstable chakra exuded so much energy it _lifted _me off the ground for a while." She laughed at the gob smacked look on her face. "Yes, I know, it sounds surprising but it's true. I have the feeling, if he was a former ninja, he'd be good in ninjutsu, and because that amount of chakra build up would mean that he was a powerhouse."

"Might be seals, too." Tsunade quipped.

"Seals?"

Tsunade sipped her water, contemplating on her words. "An assumption I made as well, from his penchant in wanting to buy brushes. I could chalk it up as him being an artist, but his mannerisms tell me otherwise. Also, that red hair. If he isn't an Uzumaki, then he's probably someone who delved in it." She cocked her head to the side. "I won't be surprised if we learn that he's got a hand in sealing."

Shizune let out a 'huh', obviously intrigued at the notion. A smile was forming on her face, and she directed it towards her mentor, who snorted.

"Stop. I'm not doing it."

"Come _on, _Tsunade-sama. You can disguise it as him checking over the new guy."

"No, you rascal, I don't need to call him."

"He might help in the sealing business!"

"Yeah, right." She tried waving the thought off, but it was futile when Shizune had _that _resolute look on her face. "Oh come on, Shizune." A frown, and she knew she had lost. "Fine."

Tsunade didn't really mind the smile on her partner's face.

It would probably shed some light on the mysterious redhead. If there was any other person who would know of the man, it was probably him.

"_Shirei!"_

His back went rigid at Tsunade's call, and Shizune smothered her laugh. He turned around slowly, sweat dropping.

"Ah, _heh, _Tsunade-san…" He stuttered. He had an unsure look on her face, hands at the back like he was hiding something.

Tsunade tapped her foot, but the slight twitch on her lips indicated that she wasn't really angry. Shizune began to giggle when the woman fisted the redhead's collar and shake him like a doll.

"Okay, you amnesiac idiot! You worried me!" She reprimanded, hitting his head lightly. "And I don't like to worry! Is this the thanks that you repay me for helping you heal? You run off like a kid?"

Shirei shrugged helplessly, electric blue eyes lowering in guilt. "I'm sorry. I- I thought I remembered something when I saw this store." He looked up at the sign and furrowed his eyebrows, lost in thought. "I…don't know why though."

Tsunade looked at the store and tried to figure what caught his attention. The store itself was non-descript; just the typical grocery store, and nothing less. She followed his line of sight and saw an ice cream section, making her chuckle. "Kid at heart, through and through. You're looking at the ice cream area; don't deny it, you big baby."

"Oi!" He exclaimed, pouting. "I just said I _remembered. _And it's… ice cream. I think I like ice cream." He looked confused at the prospect. "I think?"

"You think?" A new voice asked, and Shizune and Shirei looked at the source. Shirei looked amazed at the person's visage; Shizune and Tsunade knew that the man was an interesting sight to see (despite his personality would be a blow to another side). He handed Shirei half of a blue twin popsicle. "Here, since that woman won't buy you these things; I'd know from experience."

"_Jiraiya." _Tsunade muttered, not having the heart to reprimand him. "For your information, I _would _buy him a popsicle."

Shizune was quick to refute. "Not really." She mumbled under her breath, making Jiraiya smile. "You'd probably chuck him money."

"See, even Shizune agrees with me." He laughed boisterously, and then looked at the redhead in front of him. He wagged the popsicle in front of him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, kid? Aren't you going to accept it?"

The man blinked, apparently deep in his thoughts. He smiled and took the popsicle, an almost childlike glee crossing over his face. "Thank you, er, Jiraiya-san, is it? My name's Shirei."

Jiraiya nodded at the greeting, eyes bright. "Oh, yeah!" He then moved in a certain way- and Shizune _knew _what was coming- but before the Toad Sannin could complete his introduction, Tsunade held his arm. He looked put out, but Tsunade only shook her head. She tilted her head to the now-preoccupied man eating the popsicle and mouthed '_Not yet.'_

The white-haired man nodded at the signal and slung an arm over Shirei's shoulder. He took to another direction, towards the forest, and Tsunade knew that the plan was set. Her teammate, for all his blunders and general...p_erverseness, _was a capable guy. (Same as her; but unlike her, he chose to serve Konoha till the end. Out of their team, it was Jiraiya who had the strongest will to serve their home. She didn't really have the guts to refute the man. He had his reasons, and she had hers, and both had mutual respect for that.)

"So, kid!" Jiraiya started, practically hauling the other man under his hold. (_He didn't look off though; actually, _Shizune mused, _he looks like he's enjoying him.) _"I've heard that you're quite the guy; enough for _Hime_ here to introduce you to me! Ninja or no?"

Shirei blinked as he figured out who _hime _was and shrugged. "Er, I think I was a ninja? They told me that I might've been. Probably. I can definitely wield chakra, if that's the requirement and the distinction from a normal civilian." He tapped his head. "Amnesia here. Can't really remember, sorry." He saw the man nod.

"Abilities?"

The man furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know. Running? Tsunade-san has been chasing me for a while when she gets annoyed with me. She's scary fast, so I book it when I run. Then I'm probably flexible… agile as well. Honestly, sometimes I don't even register doing it. I just know I have to _do it _but my mind lags in recognizing why."

"Huh." Jiraiya turned to his teammate and saw her confirm it. A smile grew on his face, knowing that he's going to be hit by someone with the statement that he was going to say. _But I have no shame so here I go. _"Okay then. For other questions, since you're not black and blue and not pummeled to the ground- how'd you seduce both Hime and Shizune here?"

Not a second after, his head was on the ground by a well-aimed chakra-powered flick. "Ow! _Hey! _I'm just asking innocent questions here!"

"_Innocent?" _Tsunade repeated, a tick forming on her head. She knew her teammate well enough that it wasn't just an 'innocent' question- the man would probably pry off something from Shirei without the redhead knowing it. He was good at information gathering that way, which she would begrudgingly admit. "You're telling me you think your question was _innocent? _Let me repeat, 'how'd you seduce', Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya pouted. "You're no fun." (He had expected the reaction though. It was quick to rile the blonde.)

Shirei watched the both of them with an interested gaze, an inquisitive 'o' forming on his lips. "_Well, _I could give you tips?"

Shizune choked at the two Sannin's expressions: one of disbelief, and one in shock.

"Shirei!" Tsunade exclaimed. "You-!"

"Oh _YEAH!" _Jiraiya propped his arm on a folded leg. "Come on, let it out!"

Shirei smiled shrugging. "Oh, you know those things where they say that you have to do this and have to do that to get to this?" He saw the white-haired man nod eagerly. "Well, this secret has been etched on so many accounts. I've read about it. It says," he looked at him, and almost laughed outright there and there at the expectant face Jiraiya was sporting.

He swallowed his laughter, before, "Okay. It said, 'Maybe you shouldn't be a pervert'?"

Silence descended upon them and then Tsunade was hollering in laughter and Jiraiya was pouting even more. ("Good one brat! Good one!" and "Mean. I'm a super pervert and I'm proud of it, you monster." The redhead only sent a small grin towards them, winking at Shizune, who shook her head at their antics. _Cheeky._

When the laughter died down, Jiraiya continued his questioning. He looked at the sky. "Anything else?"

Shirei was silent for a meantime, rubbing his hands together. He clicked his tongue, dredging up information that he noted about himself from the past week. "Uh, ramen lover apparently. And Shirei's my name because it's the first name that came into mind. Shizune-san said it wasn't a conventional name, since it actually means 'Commander'. But honestly, it's probably one of my more recent names. It's weird that _that's _the name that I recall. It might shed some light about my past, but honestly, I don't see myself leading anything for the matter."

Jiraiya nodded. "The amnesia doesn't bother you?"

Shirei bit into his ice cream and shook his head. "Not really. Honestly, if- if I have to be bothered about amnesia, it's not me leaving people behind, it's me not remembering enough to lead on why I was found in a seven meter deep crater." He tapped his fingers on his leg, deep in thought. "If I had left people behind, then they would've searched for me, right? I wouldn't be _that _far off, for the matter. I was probably alone." He frowned.

Tsunade silently agreed, knowing the way the world works.

In a second though, he smiled. "But, hell. I don't care about that anymore, honestly. I'm alive right now and right here. There's probably a reason why. Shizune-san found me too. Kami-sama might either be looking out for me, or I really have great luck. Somewhere between the two."

"More like it's just one." The Slug Sannin said. "Kami-sama probably blessed you with it."

"Maybe, I wouldn't know?" He laughed. "I'm lucky to live, yeah. Maybe I could do something. Maybe I'm still a part of something bigger, or even smaller. I don't know. I'm just here to lend a hand, I guess."

Shizune looked at Jiraiya, who was looking at the redhead with an amazed expression on his face. _He's probably enamored by Shirei too. I wouldn't keep it past him. He had thrown the right words and it seems like Shirei got another person in the fan club. _Shizune opted to lay down on the grass, patting Tonton. The weather was nice for a good nap- and the amused but light chatter was music to her ears.

They continued to chat about other things- like what Tsunade had done for him to be pushed into a casino and practically wipe the floor with all the contests and games there, the time that they went shopping because Shirei had literally nothing to own, the time when someone gave him free groceries because he 'was such a good kid' and he didn't understand why, or the time when he played with kids because apparently he looked like a ride. Tsunade here and there would give her own version or point of view about the story, while Jiraiya would insert unnecessary comments or a joke here and there.

In a few minutes, she was asleep.

* * *

Jiraiya, for his part, was really liking the new kid.

He knew that sometimes he came off too strong to other people- especially when they knew who _he _was. They tended to put him on a high pedestal, and then become unsure on how to treat him. Yes, they regarded him with respect with ninja matters; with normal things, not so, since he was also a renowned pervert. He was shameless at that admission; he used it for research, anyway. (He was a successful author too, and a damn good one at that.)

But the way Shirei treats him- it's a mix of respect, intelligent banter, a teasing lilt and something else. For the life of him, his mind pointed the 'something else' to be associated with nostalgia, though he didn't know why. Yes, he might be nostalgic because this type of talk was reserved for his friends (when they weren't pushing him away) or his former teams, but it seemed like Shirei himself was experiencing nostalgia as well. He probably didn't notice that he would actually sport a forlorn or yearning look, but Jiraiya's had enough of those.

_I might be going soft. _Jiraiya mused as he listened to Shirei talk about why he had headed towards the grocery store earlier. _Or this kid's pretty nice._

He caught Tsunade's eye and saw her knowing smile. _Damn it. I'm doing it again._

He sat straight on the trunk, watching Shirei perk up at the movement. "Kid, I'll be straight with you." He saw those electric blue eyes narrow at the statement, a calculating gaze directed at him. Idly, he mused, _huh. If this guy IS a ninja, those eyes would be great tools to back him up. They're expressive and at the same time magnetic. _"I'm here because of an agenda. This isn't really a happy call. Tsunade-hime here told me to check on you because it seems like you could be a ninja- and well, in the ninja world, it's a good thing if we could decipher if you're an ally or an enemy. I hope you understand."

He didn't look at the redhead for a few moments, waiting it for the admission to sink in. Tsunade wasn't looking, either.

He finally met gazes with Shirei, who looked amused at him.

He blinked- _amused? What?_

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He stretched, yawning. "You basically interrogated my intentions from my week since the point of my amnesia. I know you're shinobi as well, Jiraiya-san, the head protector of 'Mt. Myobokuzan' is already proof- but right now I don't know which village. I'm an amnesiac; not an idiot." He stood up, and Jiraiya marveled at the movement- it seemed like Tsunade's description of Shirei being 'flexible' was correct, as well as how the man had 'measured movements; good reflexes as well'. "I don't know how you're going to prove those things that you're going to do, but I'd like to tell you right now that I'm going to do my best."

Jiraiya was at a loss of words before he smiled brightly. "Ah, well. That's true, kid. Sorry about that. Information gathering sometimes warps my perception of people when all you do is gather information like so." He stood up. "If a challenge you to a spar right now, would you take it up with me? Or would you want me to check you in some other way? I don't want to hurt you, so maybe we could contact- let's say, a mind reader, perhaps- or something else-"

Shirei pinched the bridge of his nose, raising a hand to stop the man from his tirade."Look, Jiraiya-sama." He looked at them straight in the eye, unyielding, strong, passionate and _serious-_ (and didn't _that _send warning bells within Jiraiya's and Tsunade's heads? It seemed familiar, chilling, and final) – before continuing. "I have no idea what my mind entails, but it seems like my body _does. _I demonstrate skills that I don't remember knowing and it helps me figure out that I actually have the abilities. So if ever you're going to test if I'm a ninja, then do so; I won't complain."

Jiraiya nodded in rapt attention, noting how the man held himself as he talked. _Maybe something happened before him that made him commander, which is why 'shirei' was the only name that had surfaced in his mind. _He figured out that he had to check his network to know if they had any information on a red-haired leader in any village near the radius of where Shizune had found him. _Because I'm sure that a tone like that only comes from a man on the field of duty or has been in a place of power._

(Also, in passing, Shirei saying 'Jiraiya-sama' was a sin; while he liked being renowned by his feats, some people weren't meant to show _that _much respect to him. He'd rather hear the man call him something like, super pervert or something.)

The man continued. "If it helps me remember, then push me." He breathed in deep and stared at him straight in the eyes- _and Kami, it was unnerving to be at the end of that soul-searching gaze- _and nodded resolutely. "I don't know what you want to hear. But know that out of your kindness, Tsunade-san's and Shizune-san's, I am your ally. I am in your debt."

Tsunade shook her head. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Shirei. You're not indebted to us. Shizune and I- we're medics. It's bound to us to help. However, I know it was our decision to help you as well to recover, and I know it wasn't bound to our duty of being a medic to actually haul you to another village and tag along, but I'm glad we did. We just need confirmation; and maybe, just maybe, we could find a connection to your past."

"Same reason here." Jiraiya grinned at the surprised look on Shirei's face. "I'm here to help as well. If you don't want to be a ninja, then it's alright. We know you're an ally. But maybe it could help you get back on track, right?" At his nod, his grin even went wider. "Also, don't call me Jiraiya-sama, ever, kid. It's just… bad. I don't care what nickname you give me, I suck at giving nicknames. I give every person who's ten years younger or more with 'kid'." He rolled his shoulders. "I'd even call you Shirei-kun, but I doubt you would like that."

A pause, before in a low voice, "I wouldn't mind." He looked like he was going to burst.

Tsunade looked at him and smiled at the timid tone. "Oh? It's alright if we call you that?"

Shirei nodded, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I mean, sure, yeah. It'd- it'd be nice. I mean, I guess in a way, you're my family now. So, uh. I guess the –kun would be nice to hear." He blinked. "Or if I'm just assuming…"

(Tsunade didn't feel warm at all. She squashed that feeling away. She needed her sake, and she wanted to kick Shizune awake and say 'we're going'. But she knew that wasn't right. She'd be duping herself if that was the case.)

Shizune leaned over him and pinched his cheeks. Tsunade snorted.

Then the redhead looked at Jiraiya and squinted. "But then that would mean we'd be close and be buddies. I just met you today. I can't let you call me that."

Jiraiya stood up, indignant. "Oh, I'm taking _that _as a challenge here, right now, kid. Come on, let up- let's do the fight, here we go." He took a stance and beckoned him with a hand.

The redhead shook his head, a bit surprised how the man practically did a one-eighty out of nowhere and had thought that a _spar _was going to make them closer (though it was perhaps, the man's plan all along to help him evaluate himself). He found himself smiling at the other man at the thought; unconsciously, he mimicked Jiraiya's stance, not knowing what else to do. "Don't get disappointed if you don't get anything of worth."

The Toad Sannin had a knowing look on his face, for some reason. "Hm. I don't think I will."

When Tsunade thought that Shirei was powerful, she didn't think he'd d be somewhere around Sannin level.

But by mere movements alone, she knew that Jiraiya would be beat by the guy's taijutsu alone.

Jiraiya evaded another well-aimed kick to his side, blinking as his senses went hyper-aware. Because _damn, what the hell was this kid on?_

The redhead appeared by his side, palm face up, and slammed it on his back. He followed with a direct blow to the head, switching the last second to deliver a kick, using him to lever himself around the air. As he slammed on the ground _(and he could hear a crack in his back, as he ould feel the ground give in to the pressure), _He prayed to Kami that he was an ally, because he actually having a hard time against one man. It was going to be a concern for Konoha if, in some way, the guy would recover his memories and they'd learn that he was from enemy village. Or Iwagakure for that matter, because that village never did quite get over their grudge against them.

(Though he wasn't _that _worried, since Konoha also bred speed monsters as well. Kakashi's generation- that is, Gai and Genma and Kakashi himself- were among the fastest. It seems like, if they could convince Shirei to become an ally of their village, he'd be one of them as well.)

He was quick to substitute himself with a log, smiling at the euphoria of the battle. He hadn't felt this in _years! _Tsunade would be a great opponent for sparring, if she just would bring herself out and not have the urge to throw him six ways to hell. _But this, _he mused as he went through the hand signs of his _Hari Jizō [Needle Jizo]_, _is enjoyable._

"Enjoying yourself, Jiraiya?" The Slug Sannin asked, noting the smile on his face.

"Yeah!" He answered, anticipating his opponent's next moves. His hair wrapped around his body in spikes, and saw the man hesitate for a second. Jiraiya used that opportunity to release the spikes in the next technique, _Hari Jigoku [Needle Hell]_, hearing the man yelp.

"You're like- like a uh!" He sounded frustrated, the poor guy- "-something! An animal- hey, how are you doing that!" He curled his right hand into a fist and the other went through a single hand seal. "Stop it!"

He punched the air, and Jiraiya could feel all the spikes that he had thrust out fly backwards. _Wind release. _Jiraiya noted. _And a good one at that, with a single handseal._

"No can do, kiddo!" He said out loud, laughing as he removed the hair around him. "Also, nice counter!"

Shirei pursed his lips, nodding. "I guess?" He returned, confused. "I-", he was cut off when the Toad Sannin decided to do an earth technique, _Doton: Yomi Numa [Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld]_, distorting the levels of the plains. "Hey! We're talking here! Why are you attacking? This isn't fair!" He demanded, instinctively evading attack after attack despite the rocky terrain. "Jiraiya-san!" He whined.

Jiraiya snorted. "That's the way the ninja world works, kid! Some even get _louder!_" He commented, bringing out three kunais (which was a bit unfair, since the other man didn't really have weapons on his person) and aiming them at him. "If you want to survive, be fast, be alert, and do something that can throw off your enemy off guard!" He narrowly evaded the man suddenly appearing in front of him with a roundhouse kick. "Overwhelm the enemy or endure. The number one rule is: try not to die!"

A curse left the man's lips. "How the hell are you still _talking?_" He muttered, eliciting a grin from the Toad Sannin.

The white-haired man took on a stance and shifted through hand seals fast for his next technique- an A-Rank technique- to see how the man would act (he could hear Tsunade yelling _"What the fuck are you doing Jiraiya that's a dangerous technique!" _but he couldn't direct his attention to her, not now). Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shirei's impassive face turn into a calculating one when his hair embedded under the ground. Electric blue eyes swept the area, and then Shirei did something strange- spun in a circle, and he seemed to draw something on the soil- before directing a palm towards it.

"_Hari Kakkitekina [Hair Groundbreaking]!"_

"_Fuin [Seal]!"_

White spiky hair protruded from the ground, and Jiraiya _knew _he was going to discover something about the mysterious redhead.

The ground lit up, and then he felt immense pain.

That wasn't what he expected.

He doubled down to the ground, furrowing his eyebrows. He clutched the grass- a bit ruined, from his technique- and widened his eyes as he realized the implications of the attack. _When Tsunade told me he could've been a seal master, I didn't think that he could use them in battle. _He struggled to stand up, but figured out that he might as well be a rock because his head felt like lead- or was it his hair? _'I've got to get this guy on the team, because hell, I need to learn some tips from him if this is something that he could do.'_

"Jiraiya!" "Jiraiya-san?"

He heard the clack of Tsunade's shoes and the (almost silent, why didn't he notice that?) footsteps of Shirei near him. Shirei was probably squatting beside him and Tsunade was already inspecting his head.

"What did you do?" She asked the redhead, curiosity laced in her voice. "He doesn't seem to be able to get up anymore."

"Not 'anymore'," Jiraiya grunted, "-my head- or hair, give or take- feels like lead." He peered to the side, directing his question towards the man who had done the seal. "Was that a gravity seal? Drawn on the battlefield? On the get go?"

Shirei blinked his eyes and cocked his head. "I… uh. The thing that I did. I- just thought of it since my body told me to _move _away and catalogued it as a hair technique." He felt unsure at the stare the two Sannin was giving him. "Hey! It's not like _I _knew I'd react like that. The whole battle felt like I was doing an out-of-body experience, but I enjoyed it." He sat and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Jiraiya-san, I didn't think this through-"

"Hey, hey." Tsunade admonished. "I'm sure my knucklehead of a teammate would be able to recover from this." She looked at Jiraiya, who was pouting on the ground. "You said that this was a gravity seal? Then that means that you've either got to endure retracting your hair technique at the slowest rate possible, find out to remove the seal, or Shirei here removes the effects of the technique."

The Toad Sannin mumbled something against the ground, which made Tsunade raise her eyebrow.

"_What?"_

Jiraiya snorted. "I said, I _really _can't undo the seal right now, since number one, I can't see, number two, I haven't mastered creating seals by hand, without brushes nor ink."

Shirei pursed his lips at the information. "Hm." He spoke, standing up and going to where he had drawn the seal. Tsunade watched him crouch down and say something to himself, before he was writing something on the ground again. He slammed his hand on the ground, lifting the gravity seal's effects off from her teammate's technique. Jiraiya rolled away and breathed a sigh of relief. Shirei just let out a whisper of "it worked?" that Tsunade and Jiraiya ignored.

"I am never going to underestimate the power of seals anymore." He muttered, covering his eyes with his arm. However, he wasn't a sourpuss and gave out a congratulatory wave. "Yo kid, that was impressive!"

_Very impressive, actually. I haven't been surprised by a technique like that in years._

The man sounded like a kid when he whooped in joy. "No way! Really?"

Tsunade chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh yeah, Shirei-kun. I'm not a ninja anymore but I can _appreciate _good ones." She smiled at him, staring at the awestruck look on the redhead's face. "Yeah. I had an idea that you'd be good, but look at that pervert- he doesn't seem to be getting up any soon."

Jiraiya scoffed, not removing his arm. He wouldn't admit that he was a bit winded. "By choice, _hime. _Let me see _you _battle the kid and we'll be even."

"I'd rather not." Shirei nervously spoke, rubbing his arm. "Let's call it a day, or something. Or eat!" He perked up. "Yeah, let's have early dinner! Oh man, I'm starved!"

The redhead bounded over Shizune, and began waking her up. Tsunade tapped Jiraiya's shoulder with her foot, and that was only when the white-haired man removed the arm over his eyes and used it to push himself up.

"Some kid you've got there." Jiraiya mused, already going through plans in his head.

"I know." Tsunade answered softly, letting out a laugh when Shizune bopped Shirei on the head. "I know."

* * *

It was surreal to stay with Tsunade, Shizune and Shirei for a month, but Jiraiya didn't really mind. He enjoyed it, actually.

Also, it was a way to get to know Shirei, and help him find more things about him.

He had contacted his network, asking if there was a village- or a group- that had a redhead as a leader. The guy had a proficiency in seals, was good in taijutsu, had several wind-natured ninjutsus, and from what he had seen from the incessant spars that he had with the redhead, good thinking and leadership skills.

So far, no one had heard of such a man- which intrigued him, since _Shirei _didn't seem to exist in the world.

He also had to check with the Toads, and interestingly, they just told him he was 'a big change'. What that meant, he wouldn't know, because those _damn toads could be secretive if they want to, come on this wasn't fair. He was a Toad Sage for fuck's sake, why wasn't he given even an inkling on what those cryptic words meant?_

Right now, Shirei was frowning in concentration, eyes closed. He was standing in a middle of a grassy plain; shoulders hunched, knees bent. The wind was whipping around him fast, but only around a certain distance around him; it didn't reach Jiraiya's position.

_Ah, _he realized. _Chakra control._

He had already gotten a general idea of how the man operated. He was ready to joke, bicker, and delve into talks, but he didn't really initiate them, like he wasn't used to talking at all. (Or maybe out of necessity, he didn't need to talk for awhile. It explained why his throat was hoarse, from what Shizune had told them, when she had first healed the man. Or maybe it was the opposite- he _needed _to talk out of necessity, and these moments were moments of reprieve. It was either of the two. Those two, however, were situations that he likened to instances in _war, _and that was interesting.) Once Shirei learned that he had some inkling of being a ninja, he had set off to finding out what he knew and what he might learn from the process.

The man grunted as he lost control, opening his eyes and standing straight. He slumped when he looked at Jiraiya.

"Hey, Jiraiya-san." He greeted feebly. "I…saw you there, but- heh-"

"No need to worry yourself, Shirei." Jiraiya waved the concern away. "I see you're trying to control your chakra?"

He nodded. "More or less. I want to- to see the extent of my chakra." He furrowed his eyebrows. "It doesn't seem like it's ending?"

Jiraiya blinked. "Ah, well. You've got large reserves then. It's not…. Exactly normal, but it's not _abnormal._" He looked at him and nodded. "By this point, I think your chakra reserves are larger than mine, and mine's like- a real well, compared to normal ninjas."

Which is another piece of information that's quite shocking, but he _shouldn't _be anymore. But he still was. There was just so _much _to learn about the guy! Where the fuck was this guy his whole life? He knew he wasn't that old- hell, by approximation he'd just be half his age. That didn't sit well with him- because this guy, somehow, stayed under the world's radar and built himself to this staggering level.

He didn't even know how _that _was possible, because the ninja world- and heck, even the civilian world- was a world full of gossips.

His theory of Shirei just suddenly _existing _sometimes appealed to him, more than learning that Shirei (and whatever village he was in before his amnesia) found a way to dupe the whole world.

Shirei looked at him with a questioning gaze. "Wait, _seriously?"_

"Yeah." Jiraiya nodded. "I- don't think you're uh." _A jinchuuriki. I'd know if I saw a seal, and I haven't seen one. _"-A chakra monster though. Don't worry."

The redhead nodded. "Why do you think the wind moves a lot when I try to contain my chakra for control? I've never seen wind move like that around a person before. Is it normal?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Nah. That's happening because it's your elemental affinity. Since I'm up to teach, would you like to do some exercises with me?" He offered. He smiled when Shirei took the offer with an enthusiastic nod. "Alright, kid. Here we go."

* * *

"So you're not going to be a ninja for a while?" Jiraiya asked asked as he watched the redhead pack his things. Tsunade and Shizune was cooking; it seemed like today was a special occasion- since in a way, it was.

They knew, in a matter of time, Shirei would've wanted to go out on his own.

"_Well, _not exactly." He answered, folding his clothes. He hid an impressive amount of money in his bag. "I don't _want _to be an official ninja right now, but I'd like to offer my services here and there. I don't know- I've heard being a freelance ninja wasn't really impossible."

"Not really." Jiraiya amended, helping in setting the table. He was struck at the _quietness _and the _familial _feel of the whole situation; it felt weird. "Any village that you have an idea to join in, if ever? Or well. Give services, like you said." He knew he was leading him on, and from the man's reaction- he rolled his eyes at him, _the nerve- _he knew he understood.

"Probably…. Yours?" He asked unsurely, shrugging. "I mean. If ever _I _was going to join it, I'd like to fight beside you guys, since, well." He gestured to the whole room. "This and that." Then he placed the bag on the floor, walking over the table as well. "Also, it'd be nice to be on your good side. I've seen you three fight; you're all scary."

Tsunade laughed. "We fought against you, Shirei-kun." She snorted. "If it was a real fight, I'd have kicked your ass till next year."

Shirei shuddered. "I wouldn't put it past you, Tsunade-san."

Shizune started distributing the soup. "I guess my choice would be Konoha, yeah. But I'd need to have approval of the…Hokage?" He asked, and seeing Jiraiya nod, he continued. "Like- I'm probably going to be a hunter ninja, right now, or an unofficial-official kind of ninja. I'd still operate under his orders, if needed. You don't need to push me whatsoever. However, I think I'd like to have a say in the matter. Right now, I'm more focused on getting around."

Tsunade pointed a chopstick at him. "I still don't understand _why _you have to leave us."

Shirei almost chuckled outright at the indignant "_why don't you ever say that to me hime?" _and "_because I don't like seeing your ugly mug you pervert!" _responses. "Eh," he shrugged. "-it's probably because I might slow you down. I just want to see the world. Create connections. I know that you're two of the Sannin, and you and Shizune-san have some…agenda, or something."

"There's really not." The brunette muttered.

"Also," he prodded on, eyes laughing at Shizune's comment, "-it's practical. I might find people who know me, or maybe they don't at all. Maybe I could meet new people."

"And date them." Jiraiya added.

"And date-" Shirei spluttered, watching Jiraiya laugh boisterously. "-hey! No!"

"What's wrong with that, kid?" The white-haired man asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're just making me want to bring you around when I do my research. I _know _you'll learn the wiles of the woman-"

Tsunade chucked her chopsticks at his forehead protector, making him fall down onto the ground in a large _thump. _"What were you saying again?"

Jiraiya pouted, rubbing his forehead. Despite the metal, it still _hurt. _"Fine, _fine." _He conceded, dropping his shoulders.

"Shirei-kun could be a contact of your information network, though." Shizune pointed out, unwrapping a rice ball. "It would be beneficial for both parties. And I'm pretty sure having that solid connection to you and the Hokage would entail a better reputation for Shirei-kun here, since he… kind of appeared out of nowhere."

"Information network, huh?" Shirei mumbled, looking at Jiraiya.

"Great idea!" The Toad Sannin nodded. "We'd just need to find a way to contact one another, since you haven't been acquainted by any other guy in the network. That way, I or the Hokage, whoever needs your help, would be able to call you." He looked at the redhead. "Do you think that would be a good way to start your 'mission' though?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shirei smiled. "Hey, like I said." He looked at his hands, like there was something written on them, like a code. "I'm probably here to help."

* * *

They say when a timeline was doomed to end, there was nothing to change. No higher power can manipulate how fate wanted to prod the story on.

However, there were cases were an unpredictable variable- an event or a person- shows up in the most opportune times, and aids the tides of time. They change what was designated to the flow. They help mend what could be broken, improve what had been achieved, and find something that they could fix.

At that moment when Shizune decided to help the amnesia-riddled man, she chose to aid that person, unknowingly creating a change in events of the timeline. Some events were pushed back, some were brought up to the front, and some were forgotten.

It was all because of a man who instigated the change.

It was all because of a catalyst.

* * *

**Hello, author here! So, I know this is a bit wordy, but I wanted the introduction to be ready and placed easily. I hope you guys like this, and just heads-up: if it wasn't clear, this is an AU Naruto, but placed in the original timeline. I hope I do this justice because I just _reallllly_ wanted to write something like this for a long time. Tell me what you thought! Thank you!**


End file.
